R.L. wrote:
Anyone here with a gradeschool knowledge of physics want to explain to Mr Grondine what a candle does in weightlessness? Anyone? Aside from the stupidity of having an open flame in the shuttle does anyone care to help Grondine with a little grade school science?

Alex writes:
Far be it from me to "defend" Grondine: however, I believe his usage of "candles" refers to the oxygen-generating canisters that were used aboard Mir and, I believe, are aboard ISS as a backup to the Russian Electron system. Needless to say, though, everyone should remember the infamous "fire incident" with one of the candles aboard Mir.

Alex R. Blackwell
University of Hawaii